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Google Play could soon close one of its most conspicuous feature gaps: the ability to gift paid apps and games directly to another user. Evidence of the feature has surfaced in an unreleased version of the Play Store, suggesting Google is at least testing the capability.
At present, Android users cannot buy an app or game for someone else inside Google Play. They can only send a Google Play gift card, which leaves the recipient to choose how to spend it. Apple’s App Store and Valve’s Steam have offered direct gifting for years.
The discovery appeared in Play Store version 53.9.23-24. A potential 'Gift' option was found in the three-dot menu attached to premium paid apps, according to Android Authority.
The interface reportedly lets a buyer add a short note of up to 200 characters, select a payment method, and apply discounts during checkout. The recipient would need a Google account to accept the gift. If they decline it, the buyer could reportedly send the same purchase to someone else instead.
The code also includes placeholders for a gift message and delivery instructions. That suggests the feature remains unfinished. Google has not announced it, and the company could alter the design, delay the launch, or drop it entirely before release.
Direct gifting would make Google Play more competitive with rival digital stores. It would also give buyers a clearer way to recommend a specific paid game or productivity app, rather than handing over store credit.
In practical terms, the process would resemble a standard Play Store purchase, except the app would be delivered to another person. Native gifting would fit neatly into that broader push to make Play feel more like a complete gaming and app platform.
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